As Harvard social and political scientist Robert Putnam notes in his 2015 work, “Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis,” boys and young men of color do not have the same chances of success as other American children. Despite the progress the U.S. has made in advancing the well-being of its populations, the gap, often perpetuated by different socioeconomic backgrounds, continues to grow.
This, I knew, could not continue. When I launched The 13th Man in 2015, it was because I needed to do something to help correct this course. My goal has always been to guide, motivate, and elevate the lives of these young men through empowerment, development and leadership engagements.
While I was able to learn a lot on and off of the basketball court thanks to my parents, coaches, teammates and other important mentors in my life, I knew there are too many young men of color who don’t have access to the critical support and guidance a mentor can provide. As a result, many don’t make the roster and or don’t even try out for the team; instead, they’re on the sidelines, watching.
But in this game called life, proactive participation is required.
The 13th Man, Inc.
I firmly believed then, as I do now, that every young man of color deserves the opportunity for success—however he defines it. Over the years, The 13th Man has cultivated a team to actively engage more than 200 young men, helping them develop confidence to engage, act and lead as community game changers. Our program provides training and instills leadership skills while nurturing, encouraging greatness and developing their potential for victory. The 13th Man makes a significant difference, strengthening the existing assets of these young men and their communities.
THE 13TH MAN LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
The Leadership Academy is a nine-month professional development program that incorporates personal, professional and leadership skill development focused on preparing young men for their career journey. During their time with us, students learn life-transformational skills, tools to navigate their early career and how to build their circle of influence.
In addition, each student who matriculates in the Leadership Academy will receive a corporate summer internship. Access to corporate internships provides a foundation to prepare young leaders for their professional journey and to build a trajectory of professional success.
“I am an educator of 23 years, and I know the importance of this,” says Philimena Owona, mother of inaugural class member Kenny Owona. “I know the investments that they have put into this program. I simply just want to say thank you and encourage all parents to bring their sons and other young men into the program.”
BUILDING OUR TOMORROW
We believe leaders are made, not born, and that leadership is a life skill that can and should be developed. We built our curriculum around three core tenets of success: self-discovery, preparation and execution. We also reached out to area entrepreneurs and experts to ensure we feature insights and perspectives to motivate, educate and empower these young men. And, because we don’t want any barriers getting in the way of building future leaders, we made sure our program would be offered free of charge.
I stand firmly on the shoulders of those who came before me and helped me become who I am today. I know the power of that gift, and now, with The 13th Man Leadership Academy, more young men can, too.
E. Davon Kelly
Founder
Interested in getting involved? Email us at info@the13thmla.org. We look forward to speaking with you.
